Maui County unemployment rate down slightly to 8.5%

Maui County’s unemployment rate for August was 8.5 percent, down from 9.1 percent in July, the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism reported last week.

The rate was also an improvement over the early stages of the pandemic in August 2020, when jobless rates were at 23.5 percent.

Maui island’s unemployment rate for August was 8.7 percent, while Molokai’s was 7.9 percent and Lanai was at 3.5 percent.

The island of Kauai had the highest unemployment rate in the state in August at 8.9 percent, while Honolulu City & County had the lowest unemployment with 6.1 percent in August. Hawaii County’s unemployment was at 6.6 percent.

Rates were nonseasonally adjusted, meaning they did not take into account the hiring and layoff patterns that go along with regular events such as the winter holiday and summer vacation seasons.

Overall the nonseasonally adjusted employment rate for the state in August was 6.6 percent, down from 6.9 percent in July.

The seasonally adjusted rate for August across the state was 7 percent, down from 7.3 percent in July.

Nationwide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was at 5.2 percent in August, down from 5.4 percent in July.

Hawaii in August had a total labor force of 647,350, including 601,800 employed and 45,550 unemployed.

Total nonagricultural jobs decreased by 5,700 from August to July. Jobs increased by 300 in trade, transportation and utilities; by 300 in other services; and by 100 in leisure and hospitality. Jobs declined by 400 in financial activities, by 400 in construction, by 200 in professional and business services, by 100 in education and health services, by 100 in information and by 100 in manufacturing.